The Tropic of Serpents: A Memoir by Lady Trent

Marie Brennan

Mar 2014 · The Lady Trent Memoirs Book 2 · Sold by Tor Books

About this ebook

The thrilling adventure of Lady Trent continues in Marie Brennan's Tropic of Serpents . . .

Attentive readers of Lady Trent's earlier memoir, A Natural History of Dragons, are already familiar with how a bookish and determined young woman named Isabella first set out on the historic course that would one day lead her to becoming the world's premier dragon naturalist. Now, in this remarkably candid second volume, Lady Trent looks back at the next stage of her illustrious (and occasionally scandalous) career.

Three years after her fateful journeys through the forbidding mountains of Vystrana, Mrs. Camherst defies family and convention to embark on an expedition to the war-torn continent of Eriga, home of such exotic draconian species as the grass-dwelling snakes of the savannah, arboreal tree snakes, and, most elusive of all, the legendary swamp-wyrms of the tropics.

The expedition is not an easy one. Accompanied by both an old associate and a runaway heiress, Isabella must brave oppressive heat, merciless fevers, palace intrigues, gossip, and other hazards in order to satisfy her boundless fascination with all things draconian, even if it means venturing deep into the forbidden jungle known as the Green Hell . . . where her courage, resourcefulness, and scientific curiosity will be tested as never before.


At the Publisher's request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.

Ratings and reviews

I am in love with this series and this narrator. Isabella Camherst is honest, brave and never boring. She’s very real when she talks about everything, the new cultures they encounter and the culture shock she experiences but the respect she learns for the people and how dedicated she is to adapting herself to their customs. It is more than a book about dragons, it is a book about  recognizing her privilege and openly learning other cultures and supporting the people she relies on to guide her through foreign worlds. But it is also about dragons, and that is so exciting. To have this fantastical world in such a realistic realm that is entirely it’s own - that also addresses the struggles of women. What fantasy novel about dragons addresses the menstrual cycle of women? This one. In the field. WITH DRAGONS. Such an engaging read, very excited to start the third book of the series and hear more about Isabella’s life.

Very unique story and a fun read. Wish it delved more into the science field work in dealing with dragons, but still a good book.

A stellar return to form for the sophomore entry in the series, and though not without flaw, it certainly stands above much of the crowd

About the author

MARIE BRENNAN is an anthropologist and folklorist who shamelessly pillages her academic fields for material. She is the author of several acclaimed fantasy novels including A Natural History of Dragons; The Onyx Court Series: Midnight Never Come, In Ashes Lie, A Star Shall Fall, and With Fate Conspire; Warrior; and Witch. Her short stories have appeared in more than a dozen print and online publications.